


Three Years

by Dr3amingInColour, MerlinSpecter



Series: 2018. [6]
Category: Formula 1 RPF, Formula E RPF
Genre: Comfort, Fluff, Getting Back Together, M/M, Monaco Grand Prix, Post-Break Up, Supportive Teammates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-06-08
Packaged: 2019-05-19 22:16:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14882228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dr3amingInColour/pseuds/Dr3amingInColour, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MerlinSpecter/pseuds/MerlinSpecter
Summary: “ ‘That was 3 years ago, you can fix things now that you didn’t fix then.’ Max told him. Daniel tiredly wiped a hand over his face.‘Stop trying Max, JEV and I are never getting back together again.’ “Or, the story of how 3 years apart can change lives





	Three Years

“Oh, for god’s sake JEV, just send him a message!” Andre yelled across the bar, already slightly tipsy.

“It's been 3 years, Andre! I can't just text my ex after 3 years of not talking to him!” JEV retorded, glaring at the German for even suggesting it.

“But you still miss him, and it's not doing you any favours.” Andre sighed, bumping their shoulders together.

“Daniel has long forgotten about me. Said he wanted to focus on his career, I guess he got what he wanted and is happier now. No way I can live up to who he’s dated since me. They're all so pretty, and I'm just...” JEV sighed, looking down at his empty glass on the table

“Oh stop feeling sorry for yourself. Of course he still likes you! You two are made for each other! And you are attractive, don't ever think you aren't!” Andre sternly told him. JEV shrugged.

“It doesn’t matter, just… Me and Dan are a lost cause, he told me his career’s more important than romance, so why would he take me back now?” JEV said. Andre shook his head.

“You need to talk to him, not knowing if he still cares is destroying you.” the German replied, slipping an arm around JEV’s shoulders, trying to make him feel a little better.

\---

“You know he’s here, right?” Max asked his teammate. Daniel shot him a confused look.

“Who?” 

“JEV.” Max answered, slightly hushed. Daniel’s smile fell slightly, expression saddening as reality set in.

“Oh. Why?” he asked, sounding tense. Max shrugged.

“Something with French tv I think.” the Dutchman told him.

“Okay, well I don’t think he wants to see me, so…” Daniel shrugged

“Dan, he’ll be at the race. Whether you want to see him or not, he’ll be seeing you.” Max said in exasperation. 

“Doesn’t mean I have to talk to him.” Daniel mumbled.

“Well, you should. Every time you hear his name, you’re hurting. You want him back Dan. You need him back.” Max told him. Daniel bit his lip.

“There’s no way he’d agree to talk to me, not after what I did to him.” Dan sighed, remembering the night they broke up.

“You never know. He was just as upset as you were about the break up, don’t count it out.” Max tried. Daniel shook his head.

“I told him my career was more important than he was!” he exclaimed

“That was 3 years ago, you can fix things now that you didn’t fix then.” Max told him. Daniel tiredly wiped a hand over his face.

“Stop trying Max, JEV and I are never getting back together again, he’s probably found someone else anyway!” 

“You don’t know that, the least I can do is try make you happy!” Max replied, trying to figure out how he could set the pair up.

\---

Early on the Friday morning, Andre decided to take a run around the track. The issue of setting JEV up still hadn't been resolved, and he he still didn’t have the faintest clue about what to do. In the distance, he spotted someone else running over the track, but he didn’t pay too much attention to it at first, only realising who it was when merely metres from the figure.

“Max?” The Dutchman turned, smiling in recognition when he saw the German.

“Oh, hi Andre.” he replied, slightly out of breath after running for a while.

“What brings you down here, thought you'd be back at your place, relaxing on the free day.” Andre asked. Max shrugged.

“Had something to think about, sometimes running helps.” he replied, wondering how he’d mention what he and Dan had discussed the night before.

“Yeah, same here. Well, JEV's problems, but I offered to help and now it's playing on my mind.” Andre explained. Max chuckled.

“I had the same with Dan, and I suspect it’s about exactly the same problem.” he said with a huff. Andre nodded

“Well, I'll give you this. Jev’s been missing Dan a lot more, now they're both here. And he hates the fact they broke up 3 years ago.” Andre told him.

“Mate, I've been having the same with Dan, constantly whining over the break up. We need to do something soon, or they're gonna go insane.” Max said in exasperation, trying to think what they could do.

“I mean, setting them up again seems like our only option here.” Andre said with a shrug. Max grinned mischievously, trying to think of how that could be possible.

“I could probably talk Daniel into going somewhere with me, I know someone who owns a yacht, we could say the after party’s there?” Max said. Andre nodded thoughtfully.

“I could probably drag JEV with me as well under pretense of a party. He loves his drink a bit too much I think!” Andre said with a grin. Max laughed as well.

“Let’s just hope it works out, I’ve had enough of their lovesick looks.” Max replied, before continuing his run, knowing he had plans to figure out, for the after race celebrations.

\---

Eventually, Max and Andre came up with a plan to get their teammates together. Max had hired the boat, Andre finding a friend to cater for the pair. The only way this could go wrong was if they didn’t succeed at getting JEV and Daniel to the right location at the right time.

For Andre, it hadn’t been too difficult to convince JEV to go out for drinks. He’d even convinced the Frenchman it was smart attire, and got him in a navy suit. Of course JEV had whined about having to dress up, but Andre knew he didn’t mind as much as he said.

Daniel, however, was harder to convince, Max having to wait an absolute age before he could catch sight of the Aussie, let alone talk to him. Even then, Daniel didn’t really seem in the mood to go out, despite the good race.

“Just want to go home and let it all sink in.” he told Max.

“Come on Dan! Just a couple of drinks, as a celebration!” Max said, pouting at his teammate. Daniel sighed but nodded.

“Fine, it better be good though!” he replied back, already slightly tipsy from the champagne.

“By the way, it’s formal, you’ll need a suit!” Max told him. Daniel pulled a face but agreed to it, his head a little too fuzzy to start an argument with his completely sober teammate. 

Max picked him up at his hotel room an hour later, finding the Aussie stood by the mirror, trying to adjust his previously untamed curls. Daniel looked up at Max when he entered and grinned.

“Ready?” Max asked. Dan proceeded to run his hand through his hair once more, before turning to face the Dutchman.

“Yeah, let the party start. You’d best get me drunk inside 60 minutes, Verstappen.” Max rolled his eyes chuckling as Daniel walked past him, playfully shoving his shoulder.

Back at the boat, Andre was already sat with JEV, waiting for the Red Bull duo to show up. Andre had sent them the time, and they were already running a little, which was a slight worry to the German. Jev was also growing agitated, wondering why he was standing at the Monaco harbour, waiting for something he didn't yet know of. It had taken a lot of convincing from Andre for JEV to wait around, but he did, messaging some of his other friends in the meantime.

Eventually, Andre could see Max and Daniel walk into the harbour, and tried to distract the Frenchman from seeing his ex-boyfriend too early. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to notice Daniel until the Red Bull teammates were right in front of them, Max looking as if he had to drag Daniel after him for the last part. JEV took in a sharp breath when he saw Dan.

“Bonjour.” he murmured, a small blush coming to his cheeks. Daniel seemed equally flustered, only nodding in return, not able to find words.

“Andre, what have you done?” JEV stuttered, giving his teammate an accusing glare. Andre shrugged.

“I’ve heard you moan about him for long enough, and no offence, I'm tired of it now. Max and I arranged this for the two of you. You obviously miss each other and desperately need to talk.” Andre told them, noting how Dan’s cheeks seemed to turn slightly more red. JEV frowned.

“I have nothing to say to him.” he mumbled. Andre shook his head.

“That’s bullshit JEV. You’re going on that boat, you’re going to talk to Dan, and you’re gonna make up, or at least get some closure out of this.” Andre sternly told him. JEV blushed and looked away. 

Max turned to his own teammate, nudging him with his shoulder.

“Same goes for you, we’re not letting you off this boat until the two of you have at least talked about it.” Max told Daniel, who shrugged and folded his arms over his chest. Still, both JEV and Daniel meekly followed their teammates onto the boat, sitting down at the candlelit table, still awkwardly blushing at each other.

“So, where do we start?” Daniel said hesitantly once Andre and Max had left them alone. JEV sighed.

“I really don’t know… just, sorry, I guess.” he admitted, regret evident in his voice.

“Don't be sorry, you did what you thought was right for both of us, we both did.” Daniel answered. JEV nodded, biting his lip.

“I’ve missed you.” he blurted out, winching at how awkward it sounded. Daniel seemed surprised, but then his face softened, a light blush dusting his cheeks.

“I’ve missed you too.” he admitted. JEV awkwardly smiled at him as they both fell silent, unsure what to do now. Daniel eventually scooted forward a little more on his chair, reaching over to hesitantly place his hand on top of JEV’s. 

“These last 3 years haven’t been the same, not having you around… it just wasn’t right.” Daniel admitted. JEV smiled softly, turning his hand over so he could link their fingers together.

“I wanted to text, to call, just speak to you again, but each time, I’d end up afraid that you would just reject me again.” JEV said, his voice shaking slightly. Daniel sighed but shook his head.

“I wanted exactly that too. Even tried dating others, but they weren’t you.” the Aussie said. “I don’t think I could ever love someone the way I loved you.”

“Loved? As in past tense?” JEV said, his smile falling. “As in, you don’t still love me?” he asked for clarity, pulling his hand away from Dan’s. Dan stopped him, fighters tightening around JEV’s

“I still do.” Dan whispered.

“After all this time?” JEV askes. Dan nodded, leaning in the brush his hand over JEV’s cheek.

“How could I not? I’ve loved you since we were 20!” Daniel said. JEV let out a shaky breath, leaning into the touch.

“It was a mistake to ever leave you.” he murmured. 

“Let’s just forget how stupid we were and make up for lost time.” Daniel answered

“We were pretty stupid weren’t we. But hey, I’m now dating a Monaco winner, can’t complain can I?” JEV said with a small smile. Daniel grinned widely, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to JEV’s lips, the first in 3 years.

“Still doesn’t feel real, you know.” Dan said after pulling away a little reluctantly. “You dream of it since the day you start karting, but you don’t ever expect it to happen, you know?” JEV nodded, knowing the exact feeling Dan was describing. 

“I’ll tell you now, it’s real.” he said softly. They both stayed quiet for a moment before JEV chuckled. “Remember all the crazy things we used to do together?” he asked, hoping Daniel would still have memories from their time together. Dan nodded back, a small smile playing on his lips.

“Like the time when we jumped into the harbour after Monaco that one time?” JEV said with a grin. 

“Oh man, that was hilarious!” Dan replied, remembering the feeling well enough. It was their first Monaco weekend, and wanted to cap it off in style.

“Why don’t we do it again? For old times sake.” JEV proposed, getting up from the table. Daniel beamed up at him, scrambling to his feet again.

“You better not try to drown me this time.” Dan teased, bumping their shoulders together. JEV smiled mischievously, leaning in to kiss him briefly.

“I’m not making any promises.” he said with a wink. Daniel grinned, pulling him closer

“I’m already drowning in your love as it is” Dan replied with a smirk, before leaping into the waters below, dragging Jev with him.


End file.
